Blogs
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Driver pay among list of top industry issues
Last month in this space, I wrote about the impact driver and equipment detention is having on the industry. This year, for the first time, the issue appeared on the American Transportation Research Institute’s (ATRI) annual list of top industry…
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Join us as Women with Drive hits the road
Including more women in the trucking and logistics industry is an important issue for fleets across the country. Our Women with Drive networking initiative is designed to help, and we’re pleased to tell you that the program is expanding thanks…
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Big HR tips for small fleets
No matter the size of the company, a business cannot thrive without a team of reliable, competent, well-managed people. And smaller companies face more challenges in this regard. Small business owners often have a strong understanding of their industry but…
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Testing electric trucks today so we’re ready for tomorrow
By the end of this year, there are expected to be 20 fast-charging (DCFC) and Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations installed across Southern Alberta. The project, called Peaks to Prairies, is aimed at increasing what is being called “electric…
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Crash preventability update: changes and lessons
As previously noted, the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is continuing the crash preventability demonstration program in which certain types of accidents can be designated “nonpreventable”. However, in announcing the move, the FMCSA expanded the program. It also changed…
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Measuring driver turnover in detail
The following is an edited excerpt from Truckload Carriers Associations Driver Retention Project Plan Manual, Chapter 30. OBJECTIVE: Get much more granular in measuring driver turnover by focusing on sub-categories such as dispatch board, company driver vs. owner-operators, and entry-level…
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Costs of driver detention can no longer be ignored
The trucking industry has harvested every low-hanging fruit when it comes to improving efficiency and eliminating waste from the supply chain. With one glaring exception. Driver detention remains a costly issue that is too often ignored. Many fleets are too…
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Calling changemakers this National Trucking Week
The trucking industry has been grappling with a shortage of workers over many years. Right now, unemployment is low, many millennials remain uninterested in trades, and heavy-duty diesel trucks are viewed as significant contributors to climate change. These are trends…
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Apathy persists as federal election nears
I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I’m told and have been told since grade school that there are a myriad of ways to cure hiccups. One way is to breathe into a paper bag – the color…
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Steering government in the right direction
As we enter into an election period, both provincially and federally, the output from governments has screeched to a halt. As I’m sure you already know, this is due to election laws that prevent governments from making certain announcements during…
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Could prejudice be another factor in driver shortage?
Underlying prejudices tend to be a subject no one particularly enjoys talking about, but it’s something that needs to be discussed, including within the trucking industry. That’s not to say trucking is full of bigots. In fact, the vast majority…
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Trump’s see-saw China policies rattle oil markets
Admonish the thought (out, damned spot!) that there is no political element in the day-to-day changes in the value of crude oil or its refined derivatives. To compensate, add the thought that I am convinced U.S. President Donald Trump and…
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Making driver appreciation a year-round event
National Trucking Week will be celebrated across Canada Sept. 1-7, but winning fleets – and even manufacturers – have come to the realization driver appreciation should be celebrated year-round. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud all fleets and suppliers that…
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The news story that just won’t go away…
There’s this one particular news story that just won’t go away, and it has a surprise ending — or is it just the beginning? I think, in the media world (a world within itself), this is called a teaser. An opening…
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Third-party certification for ELDs a no-brainer, but comes with side-effects
So, electronic logging devices (ELDs) are finally coming to Canada in 2021. A little bit behind our neighbors to the south, but perhaps a blessing in disguise. It will be two years this December since the U.S. ELD mandate was…
